TG, Of course I don't, and I don't think the Tangas of the world should be banned either, although I'd just as soon not look at them every morning. Even with Tanga, what I objected to primarily was that humongous "Nude Girls" sign. Scarletts and the other places didn't offend me (or meeting planners most likely) in the least. It wasn't even readily apparent what they were. They were discrete--heck, so much so I can't even remember their names now. All I'm saying is that there are plenty of visitors who are unused to seeing such operations in "decent" parts of town. To those people, the presence of an XXX operation indicates a seamy area.

That may have been some of what was going on with eltrain, although basically I think she was disappointed in the general atmosphere of the entire area, x rated bookstores or no. Each to their own. I can't say however, that I've ever seen a mucky beer bottle strewn area of beach here.

Jayne...can you believe I can actually see some good in Joe Redner? I see another side of him...sort of a nice guy when he isn't trumpeting in county commissioner or City Council meetings. I work out in his health club and he's there daily working out as well. He's night and day from his "public" personna--very low key, very friendly, polite, not the brash wildman we sometimes see on TV. Will the real Joe Redner please stand up! :) If he's anything, he's a darned good business man!

He certainly is an interesting character! I'm glad to hear he has an alter-ego (or is the business side his alter ego?!). He does keep the council meetings interesting. DH used to represent one of the communities Joe "serves" and he said no one fell asleep at those meetings!

OO, just watch when you take your shower. We might see you in his next "work out" tape. LOL.

Olive Oyl,
There is a strip club called Scarletts in Tampa?
Then I must move there right away~LOL
I could walk to the Hooters near our house. Now no one is stripping, but I think it rates quite high on the Cheese Factor list.
But do I go there? nope. Would I still invite people to my house even though I have a Hooters in my neighborhood, Yes.
I think this attitude is indicative of those who are used to small suburban areas and towns and those who are used to large cities with everything you can imagine crammed into each block.

OO--or just wait until you get home to take your shower!

Olive Oyl, you hit the nail on the head. I was surprised and appalled to see all the strip clubs, billboards and porn shops when we visited the St. Pete Beach area a few years ago. It was enough that I have no desire to return the area at all.

Tandoori makes the point that half naked bods are readily visible on any beach, but are they openly engaged in various sex acts, like porn depicts? (Let's hope the Tampa area is not THAT permissive!) For most people I think, myself included, I'm less worried about the content of a porn book than in the type of clientele that such an establishment attracts. Especially with internet porn today so readily available in the privacy of your own home (or workplace, lol), just imagine what kind of people frequent these places nowadays. The kind that don't mix with shocked tourists, lol.

questionmotives--

Your observation about porno in the workplace reminded me of something that happened to my husband several years ago. His office is in a bank building and there's an architectural firm on the same floor as his. Apparently one of the architects was a looney tune and broke into DH's office and spent the night looking up porn on the secretary's computer! DH's buddies gave him a hard time for days--yea sure SOMEBODY broke in and THEY were looking up porn! But a few days later the buddies had to eat crow when the same guy was caught trying to burn down the bank building and admitted breaking into the office as well (of course the whole story made the evening news on a couple of local stations an DH was NOT happy about that!)

Fast forward three years and my son inherited that computer (we'd completely forgotten about the porn). The guy who networks our home computers came by to install that computer. About halfway through the process, he came and got me and told me that he had found all kinds of porn on the computer and thought I should know since it was going to be my son's computer. I KNOW he didn't believe me when I tried to explain how it got there--but he was very polite nonetheless!!

Jayne....suuuurrrree....
Just kiddin, lol.

Its funny this topic of XXX places has come up. A few weeks ago someone posted a query about a hotel in the sports arena vicinity in San Diego. I told them they do find better as it is in a neighborhood filled with big box stores- Home Depot, Staples, Mervyns, Target, and more. Not very interesting/pretty location in a city with lots of interesting/pretty locations was my objection.

Another poster came on back about how the area was smutty and full of strip bars. I've seen the two businesses there (LES GIRLS!!! Nude Women!! scream the billboards out front)but that is all they are in my mind...just billboards. I think you do sort of tune these things out, and visitors get hit in the face with them.

In Waikiki, the city and state officials really try to keep a "clean" impression. Unfortunately, adult shops advertise with the Japanese characters for PO-RU-No in their windows. Many Japanese visitors have a very negative impression seeing the large number of these shops. I never even knew they were there till I leaned to read the characters and realized they were all over!

I'll have to pay better attention to the showers next time. ;)

Scarlett, alas, Scarletts was closed then bulldozed and now only a fond memory for its former patrons. All those poor people who frequented that strip of clubs now have to squeeze themselves into the 999,999 other clubs in Tampa.

Re Hooters, shortly before we were transferred from Dallas Hooters was trying to come into the "Restaurant Row" section of Beltline Hwy in Addison. It caused a huge stink and they were successful at that point anyway, in keeping them out. There are two major strip club areas in Dallas, and burb we lived in, Plano, managed to keep them out completely except for one teeny little shack set in the middle of nowhere when we first moved there (intersection of Preston Rd and Hwy 121, and now a major interchange) named the Doll Ranch or something like that. No one saw it and hardly a soul drove that route for any reason at that time.

Because it is offensive to some people, and the majority of people visiting do not come from areas where strip clubs are sprinkled throughout town, it has been one of the larger concerns of the Tampa Bay Convention Visitors Bureau--which my DH is chairman of this year. It's not anything you can legislate, though heavens knows that's been tried and successfully fought by Redner each time with the exception of the lap dancing ruling, but it is not the image the CVB wants projected of this city and has been a concern in their tourism promotion for major events. Fact is, whether or not we like it, accept it for what it is, endorse a live and let live attitude, plenty of others do not, to tourism's detriment.

Heh heh...and now I'm off to Xtreme...for a different kind of workout! :D

I saw hookers in Honolulu so can you blame those who recommend it to travel too? Of course not. Too many to take on. Don't focus on the negative.

LordB and OO -- thanks for your thoughtful, intelligent replies.

TG -- as usual, your hyperbole has no truth. Re-read my statements: not once did I ever "moralize" about XXX bookstores. I merely suggested that the next time you promote TI as a "great" vacation destination to some poor clueless person wanting a few restful days at the beach that you mention their prevelance in the area.

I really don't have a problem with strip clubs, or XXX bookstores for that matter -- in the proper context. When I'm in New Orleans or Las Vegas, or even New York for that matter, I accept them as part of the fabric of those cities, and ignore them.

But when I'm with my family

LordB, OO -- thanks for your thoughtful, intelligent replies.

Re-read my statements: not once did I "moralize" about XXX bookstores. I merely suggested that the next time someone promotes Treasure Island as a "great" vacation destination to some poor clueless person wanting a few restful days at the beach that you mention their prevalance in the area.

I really don't have a problem with strip clubs, etc. -- in the proper context. When I'm in New Orleans or Las Vegas, or even New York for that matter, I accept them as part of the fabric of those cities, and ignore them.

But Clifton (wittily) put it best -- when I'm with my family, and I'm trying to have a meaningful, pleasant, restful time with my *children* - then, yes, having the seamy underbelly of porn-as-profit in our faces is distressing. No one really wants to deal with that while they're on vacation.

BTW -- I've never taken my kids to Vegas -- and when we were in New Orleans and New York, we just avoided Bourbon St. and 8th Ave. Sad to say that porn was easier to avoid in raunchy New Orleans than at the Tampa-area beaches.

Raunchy New Orleans better than Tampa area beaches? That is ridiculous! Surely you are just saying that for effect.
I do not appreciate these types of establishments either, but I have taken my children many places for their benefit, including Paris, Amsterdam and others mentioned. One place we have enjoyed multiple times is Treasure Island and St. Petersburg beach. And no, I have no economic interest or axe to grind.
Treasure Island is a bit run down and tacky in spots but not too expensive, has very nice beaches, great parks such as Honeymoon Island and Caladesi. I saw some low down businesses in Tampa, but noticed nothing on the beachisde to speak of. The beachside is not an objectionable environment to any but the most particular family.
We plan to cross the state to visit there again.

LOL, what a bunch of worrry warts ... so there are strip clubs, dirty book stores, sex toys, etc. My goodness, next it will be traffic.

TG, I think you've fallen into a book burning group ... somehow a few puritans found their way south.

Sorry to disillusion anyone, but the St. Pete area doesn't have what I'd call a robust enclave of outlets for smut! Amd oh, puleeeze, if there are such places, can you please list a few addresses ... just for research purposes, of course.

Just a request; if some official movement gets underway to snuff out the smut in Greater Tampa, could you direct it over to Ybor City when FSU rolls in.

I did my research and the only place I came up with is Mermaids on St. Pete Beach (close your sensitive eyes eltrain, and by all means, relocate the children to another area in the house):
Basic Information


Mermaids

7500 Blind Pass Rd

St Petersburg, FL 33706 Phone No: (727) 363-6833

View Map: Map To Club

Major City: St Petersburg


Club Details


Club Type: Bikini Table Dance: N/A

Entry Age: 21 Private Dance: $20.00

Cover: $5.00 Bar Service: Full Bar

VIP Area: No Food Service: Appetizers

Dress Code: Casual Couples Welcome: Yes

Club Hours: N/A

Web Site: N/A

Sounds like a terrible, awful place. So where, exactly, are "all the strip clubs, billboards and porn shops" ?? I could only find one. Anyone care to prove me wrong?

Just want to point out, that for that one dance club, there are at least 4 miniature golf places, at least one video arcade area, multiple family restaurants (really good ones too), some really great city festivals, art show, craft shows, marathons and all that jazz. Oh, and throw in some boat trips, jet ski rentals, deep sea fishing boats, charter boats, State parks, (anyone else want to add a few things?). But, by all means, magnify and dwell on, what you perceive, as one negative and amplify your poor choice in accommodations.
IMHO, Eltrain, you were disappointed in your accommodations. As a result, couldn't then see anything good about the area and decided to focus on the negative (intently I may add). Did you not find one thing positive? Any activity you did with your kids? A restaurant that was out of this world? A quaint building anywhere????
I don't care if I have a condo to rent in Indian Shores or not, I've lived here for 41 years and if you call my area ugly, dirty, etc...I will dispute it every time, and hide under the cloak of "I'm entitled to my opinion just like everyone else." You are speaking an untruth, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm not gonna let it be said without setting the story right.
I also think it's clear that you have an axe to grind with T.G. and the love she has of the area in which she lives, and that's part of the fuel behind you harsh words....(Ugly,dirty.)
But, hey, it's just my opinion.
Ok, you can bring the kids back in.

hibiscushouse, I'm now recalling this place you've profiled. It's on the corner there at Blind Pass across from the bike rental shop. It is completely enclosed, no windows, no XXX, just an inocuous building, lavender. I do believe eltrain was leaning far out her window with a pair of binoculars when she spotted that one. Jeez, it's lucky those kids lived through that experience, focused as they were on the bike shop, surf shop, or video arcade on the other side of the street. Eltrain, I have to wonder how you spotted this establishment when the rest of us barely remembered it was there, as tucked away as it was. Gotta get your mind outta that gutter, girl.

HH, I only hope there are more of you where you came from. And that you keep up the good fight over there in TI and along the SP beaches. The elitists who don't see the silver lining of our wonderful villages will never appreciate what's over there. I love your indomitable spirit. Thank you.

Common guys, this is beginning to smack of browbeating. Everyone has made their points, repeatedly. This area isn't everyone's cup of tea--so what? Differing opinions needn't draw <i>this</i> much ire!

OO, this is about facts. And HH has been good enough to finally locate the XXX establishment (not a bookstore) in the TI area (actually was in St. Pete) so that we could understand that Eltrain was wrong in one sense, and possibly others.

I like to think that someone can come to this board for facts, not fabrications.

OK, great. It isn't there, <i>maybe</i>. Everyone on &quot;this side&quot; was right, <i>perhaps</i>. She was mistaken, <i>perhaps</i>. She thinks she saw a bookstore wherever it was, however, not a bar. Her impression of TI is what it is though, she <i>is</i> entitled to it, and the bookstore was only one facet of what she complained about.

Heck, people disagree all the time on places here. What one loves the next hates. Thank heavens we all aren't looking for the same vacation spot. For some people Longboat Key and Hilton Head are precisely what they want, not &quot;Old FL&quot;, be it TI or Anna Maria, as dear and fabulous as they may be to others! For those people, TI and AMI won't ever do. And those who love &quot;Old FL&quot; most likely find LBK and HH sterile, phony and uninteresting--who's right? It's a matter of preference only, and no one can dictate someone else's preference.

I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable as this goes on and on, not in just one thread now, but two, and more than correcting facts, it's beginning to sound mean spirited--not the intent of any of us posting (usually ;) ). I really hate the feeling that someone is getting beaten up when she's down--that always has, and always will make me very uneasy! JMHO And don't ask me why I'm getting in the middle of this. Experience has taught me to stay out of other's fights I'd hope...but....here I am...someone who hates fighting more than anything! OK...I've said my piece. Peace.

Oh wait...one more thing (I had to work this in.) <i><b>WAY TO GO BOLTS!!</b></i> You've made us all proud! What a game, what a game--I still don't have my voice back almost 24 hours later! Another plus for Tampa Bay...Stanley Cup winners!